One Candidate Mastered Online Campaigning. Too Bad It Was Ron Paul

What do you guys/gals think?

I didn't even know he wanted the min wage abolished! I should have after all that I have read...

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So the guy is wired. There's just one problem with the Ron Paul story: Ron Paul. Sure, he seems like a decent guy, forthright and honest. Unfortunately, his paleo-libertarian policies make Ayn Rand look like Mother Teresa. I like the gold standard as much as the next guy, but I'm not sure we're ready to overturn three decades of reasonably successful economic policy in order to reinstate it. I don't agree that the minimum wage should be abolished. (Ever work in retail, Ron?) And while I like Paul's stance on Iraq (let's get the hell out), I'm not thrilled with his position on the United Nations (let's get the hell out).
The Ron Paul candidacy is a lot like the first wave of Facebook apps: thrilling as a notion, disappointing as content. If this were a meta-election — an election on how to run an election — I'd happily throw my digg behind Paul. Unfortunately, it's an election about how to run a country. So, much as I'm drawn to long shots, I'm afraid I'll have to sit out the Paulapalooza. Kucinich, if you're still around when this piece runs, call me. I'm available.

As you can see, there are some negatives to the Ron Paul story. That is why I never got behind him. Abolishment of the minimum wage would surely spell slavery for the underclass. Getting out of Iraq, Super. Getting out of the UN, Stupid.

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Life is good, the water is sweet. The ground keeps moving beneath my feet.

The minimum wage should be abolished. It's nothing more than an artificial constraint on free trade. Labor is a commodity, and as such, the minimum wage eliminates the least skilled from the work place. Socialists say they are for the little guy ... but their policies work against the very people they pretend they want to help.

Vi

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Liberals are people that will believe anything twice.

Yeah I see how it works with the illegals. Abolishment of the minimum wage would create an absolute slave state. Can you say 2.00-3.00 an hr.? I guess we should trust our wages to those great benefactors of humanity, the corporations, yeah buddy!

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Life is good, the water is sweet. The ground keeps moving beneath my feet.

These are all very valid points. I didn't expect such intelligent answers. Thanks for sharing your knowledge guys.

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Abolishment of the minimum wage would surely spell slavery for the underclass.


My my.. here's a little food for thought.. namely the truth.. (these are not my words- why rewrite something so nicely written)

The minimum wage is one of the most economically harmful government mandates in existence and hurts far more people than it helps. Those who support it are either, to use the kindest words possible, intellectually dishonest or ignorant. Those who support it because they're being intellectually dishonest support it on the false claim that it "helps the working class." Those who support it because they are ignorant support it because they have bought into that false claim, but only because that's what's been fed to them by those being intellectually dishonest. When it comes to this claim that the minimum wage "helps the working class" nothing could be further from the truth and, in fact, the opposite is true.

First off, less than 1% of Americans actually make minimum wage and the majority of that less than 1% work part time jobs, are under the age of 18 or both.

Second, the minimum wage costs jobs and therefore raises unemployment, especially when it's increased. To understand why this is let me give you an example: Let's say I own a company that fixes computers for people and I hire you to deliver fixed computers back to customers. Let's also say I can only afford to pay you the current minimum wage of $5.85 an hour to do this job. What happens if the minimum wage is raised to $6.00 an hour? I have to fire you because I was already paying you the maximum I could afford and I can't afford to pay you $6.00 an hour. So I have to cut your job and cut the job of everyone who I can no longer afford to pay the rate the government is mandating me to pay with the minimum wage. This is what happens with a minimum wage, only on a much larger scale. If the minimum wage mandated is over the maximum wage a company can afford to pay an employee they're going to have to have to let that employee go and eliminate that position. The working class is certainly not "helped" by the minimum wage when it costs them their job and they go from making a low wage to no wage.

Third, the minimum wage raises the job market entrance level. If all jobs start at a minimum wage than those jobs are worth that minimum wage and are therefore higher positions. This means that the job entrance level is raised and it's harder to get started in the job market and harder to get a job altogether for that matter. A poor person with few or no skills isn't going to be able to find an entry level position that he or she can be hired for because companies can't afford to pay the minimum wage to people to fill such positions. Therefore, that person won't be able to find a job. Here's an example: Let's say that "Johnny" graduates high school and immediately enters the work force. He only has a high school education and few skills. For this reason he's not going to be able to get high paying, high skills job so he needs to find an entry level position so he can be able to enter the work force and have somewhere to start working up from. He looks high and low but can't find a job that he has the skills for. Why? Because those jobs have had to be cut because business owners have to pay minimum wage to the people who hold those positions and they can't afford it. So how can "Johnny," or anyone else for that matter, then even get their foot in the door? Ever wonder why people don't pump our gas for us at gas stations anymore? Because gas stations can't afford to pay someone $5.85 an hour to do that so they eliminated that position! This political cartoon sums it up nicely:



The bottom line is this: people get paid what they're worth in the market. If you want high pay you better have high skills and you better have a good education. There's no such thing as a free lunch.

You're forgetting that you are debating the views of Ron Paul- and the what-if's about his policies... this shouldn't even be an issue, Ron Paul is the only candidate that has A PLAN to stop our illegal immigration problem.

Hot & Sexy ...

Great post!

Way too complicated for Med to understand, but great post just the same.

Vi

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Liberals are people that will believe anything twice.

Wow.. this also surprised me.. here I assumed that you don't like our country being run by unelected foreign officials...

I mean, you are aware that the UN drug control board is upset at our government for ALLOWING these pot vending machines in L.A. and demanding that they TAKE THEM DOWN. Because these vending machines violate INTERNATIONAL TREATIES.

HotNsexy, I have to say, it's extremely refreshing and sensational to see such an articulately written response as yours.

Obviously, minimum wage is an issue that people like to support but not understand. Ron Paul's economic plan does not run on changing one small policy, it works when you change the entire system! Minimum wage is one part of a grand CHANGE (something democrats LOVE to talk up but seldom deliver).

Ben Franklin wrote in his autobiography, that the number one reason for the revolutionary war was CENTRAL BANKING! AKA The Federal Reserve.

besides he's one of only 3 candidates with the balls to end the stupid drug war.

Ron Paul - R
Dennis Kucinich (out) - D
Mike Gravel - D